Ghost Town (2008) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Bertram Pincus is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 30 titles created 24 Dec 2010 a list of 23 titles created 13 Sep 2011 a list of 47 titles created 21 Apr 2012 a list of 28 titles created 03 Oct 2012 a list of 49 titles created 12 Jan 2014 Search for " Ghost Town " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.

3 wins & 2 nominations. See more awards » Videos Edit Storyline Bertram Pincus is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy who pesters him into breaking up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen. That puts Pincus squarely in the middle of a triangle with spirited result. Written by Studio Approved Synopsis He sees dead people... and they annoy him. See more » Genres: Rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 19 September 2008 (USA) See more » Also Known As: La ville fantôme See more » Filming Locations: $5,012,315 (USA) (19 September 2008) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia Dr. Bertram Pincus is named after the inventor of dental veneers, Dr. Charles Pincus.

See more » Goofs At the exhibition, when Gwen is conversing with Bertram, Gwen accidentally and briefly looks at Frank (standing in the foreground), realizes then turns away giving the appearance of an act of embarrassment. See more » Quotes See more » Crazy Credits Directly after the end titles fade to black, there is a brief outburst of near-hysterical laughter. See more » Connections String Quartet Op. 1 No. 6 in C - 4th Movement Written by Joseph Haydn (as Franz Joseph Haydn) Ricky Gervais Sees Dead People 29 September 2008 | by evanston_dad (United States) – See all my reviews A strong formula comedy that gets an extra jolt of originality from an improvisatory performance by Ricky Gervais. Gervais plays a Manhattan dentist with an over-sensitive gag reflex who hates people. When he accidentally dies for seven minutes during a routine medical procedure, he finds upon waking that he can see and converse with dead people, who want his help in finishing up unresolved business.

One of these, a smarmy, cheating husband (played by Greg Kinnear) wants him to help prevent his widow (Tea Leoni) from marrying a guy he doesn't like. Guess what...Gervais falls in love with her himself. There's a lot of standard obligatory plot in "Ghost Town" that's specific to the genre: we have to sit through the requisite scenes of Gervais thinking he's going crazy because he can see dead people; he and Leoni have a falling out when she thinks he's tricking her just to get close to her, etc. But the acting is so good, especially from Gervais and Leoni, who absolutely lights up the screen whenever she's on it, that it's easy to forget we've seen much of this before. One of my favorite parts of the film was the brief but hilarious performance of Kristen Wiig, who plays Gervais's doctor. You may remember her as Kathryn Heigle's passive-aggressive colleague in "Knocked Up," and though she always does the same schtick, she makes me laugh every time. Grade: A- 40 of 55 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Ghost Town Movie Review & Film Summary (2008) | Roger Ebert Tweet Why do I think Ricky Gervais is so funny in "Ghost Town"? Because he doesn't want to appear funny. He wants to appear aggravated. He plays a character named Bertram Pincus, who does not suffer fools gladly. When you consider everyone to be a fool, that can be a heavy cross to bear. Gervais, a British actor whose work on television is legion, has at last found a leading role in a feature, and it's a good one. Advertisement Bertram Pincus is not a happy camper. He is a dentist, a profession in which he finds delight in preventing patients from talking with him. He is unmarried, friendless, a loner, meticulous, obtuse, at times ridiculous. When a birthday cake is laid on for a friendly colleague in his office, he sneaks out. To join in the celebration would make his skin crawl. He is nasty to innocent bystanders. He does all of this in a British accent, almost between clenched teeth, and remains me a little of Terry-Thomas at full flood: an unmitigated bounder wrapped in propriety.

He is about to have his moat breached. This assault is set in motion when a bus flattens Frank Herlihy ( Greg Kinnear ). Frank's death turns out to be linked to Bertram's colonoscopy. As you can imagine, Bertram is a man who considers a colonoscopy a grievous violation of privacy. Bertram is technically dead for seven minutes during the procedure. (Don't put yours off; this is a microscopically rare phenomenon.) That makes him sort of half-dead, half-alive after he recovers, and as a result, he can see both living people and ghosts. This puts him in urgent demand among the ghosts, who yearn to communicate with their loved ones and need him as a medium. The most desperate ghost he encounters is Frank, who was having an affair with his yoga instructor, but now deeply regrets it and wants to communicate with Gwen, his widow ( Tea Leoni ). Advertisement Never mind about the plot details, which spin out in more or less obligatory fashion. Focus instead on Tea Leoni, lovable down to her toenails, and Frank, cursed by having to live (or die, that is) enveloped in guilt and gloom.

Bertram recoils when a stranger approaches him. He is even more inconvenienced by ghosts. And he is the last man on earth who would attract Gwen, or be attracted by her, so of course he and Gwen find themselves falling in love, causing unspeakable frustration for Frank. "Ghost Town" is a lightweight rom-com elevated by its performances. It is a reminder that the funniest people are often not comedians, but actors playing straight in funny roles. Consider Cary Grant in "Topper" (1937), the obvious inspiration for David Koepp , who directed and co-wrote "Ghost Town" with John Kamps . Because both Gervais and Kinnear seem so urgent in their desires, and because Tea Leoni has a seemingly effortless humor and grace, this material becomes for a while sort of enchanting. Yes, it is required that the plot has some of its characters living happily ever after, and that requires some dialogue that is, excuse me, corny. I suppose it comes with the territory. There is poignancy in a subplot involving Dana Ivey as a woman who wants to communicate with her daughters, and indeed a whole crowd of ghosts hoping to send messages to the other side.

We have this comforting notion of our deceased loved ones smiling down benevolently from heaven. Now that they're getting a good look at us, they're probably tearing out their hair. Advertisement Ghost Town Movie Review What parents need to know Positive messages Portrays a heartfelt transformation of a malcontent into a giving person. But before he changes, he's quite nasty: He's rude to patients, colleagues, and neighbors. At first, a man seems cavalier about his infidelity. There's a plot to deceive a woman, though there's some remorse after it happens. Violence Buses hit people head-on, but viewers don't see any gore. Some discussion about how certain people have died. Some yelling. Sex A man talks about having a mistress, but viewers don't see them together. Some jokes about a mummy's private parts; one of the minor ghosts is naked, but nothing sensitive is shown. Language Some discussion of prescription drugs and jokes about abusing them. Some social drinking. Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that, overall, the content of this sweet romantic comedy is tamer than not.

There are some allusions to infidelity (though viewers don't see it happening), a bit of social drinking, a few jokes about prescription drug abuse, and some fairly infrequent swearing (including "f--k" and "s--t"), but there's no nudity, and the film has an upbeat, hopeful message in the end. That said, one of the main character is a ghost, and some of the discussions about death might be upsetting for young or particularly sensitive kids. User reviews Review this title! What's the story? Bertram Pincus ( Ricky Gervais ) is an ill-natured Manhattan dentist who likes his profession because he doesn't have to chitchat with his patients. In fact, he's loathe to socialize even on the barest level, pressing elevator buttons furiously so he doesn't have to ride up with his neighbors and skipping out when his associate celebrates the birth of his child. But after a colonoscopy goes awry and he technically dies for seven minutes before coming back to life, Bertram won't be left alone anymore. He sees ghosts everywhere -- and they're a talkative bunch, imploring him to help settle their unfinished business.

The most persuasive is Frank Herlihy ( Greg Kinnear ), a tuxedoed philanderer who wants Bertram to help stop his widow's ( Tea Leoni ) impending remarriage. Bertram agrees to come to his aid, but only if Frank keeps the other spirits at bay and promises to leave him alone when the job's done. But soon Bertram learns he has unfinished business, too. Is it any good? QUALITY It's refreshing to find a romantic comedy that doesn't try too hard. There's an ease to the storytelling in GHOST TOWN that eschews the typical look-at-me-I'm-so-cute style that too many others adopt. It also ably balances pathos with humor, mining the sadness in a moment -- the film is about death, after all -- while preventing it from getting too mournful and breaking the mood. That said, the story takes a little too much time to unfold; the first 30 minutes are on the cusp of being slow. And then the end feels compressed, the romance rushed. Plus, the chemistry between Gervais -- who's certainly appealing in his oddball way -- and Leoni is nonexistent.

While you can imagine them hanging out at a cocktail party and having an unexpectedly great time, they're unconvincing as a potential couple. The real winner here is the city of New York, which, though haunted by ghosts, is showcased at its glowy, autumnal best. Families can talk about... Families can talk about the movie's message. What point is it making about how to live life while you can? What does Bertram learn from the ghosts? Is his transformation believable? Families can also discuss how this movie compares to other romantic comedies. Can you think of any movies it's similar to? Movie details Dentists featured in new movie and TV show Dentists featured in new movie and TV show By Laird Harrison, Senior Editor September 16, 2008 -- "What a great job, to be able to shove wads of cotton in people's mouths." The thought reportedly occurred to David Koepp, director of the new film "Ghost Town," as he was walking down a New York street "feeling crabby about people in general." From that eureka moment came one of the few feature films offering a dentist as the main character.

"Ghost Town," starring Ricky Gervais as dentist Bertram Pincus, starts September 19. And "Ghost Town" is not the only new fictional dentist popping up in popular culture. Next year, Nickelodeon will launch "Glen Martin, DDS," a stop-motion children's TV show with a dentist as a main character. The simultaneous appearance of fictional dentists on the small and big screens is apparently a coincidence. But conversations with the creators suggest some ways in which the mass media view of the profession is changing. Thirty-two years ago, "Marathon Man" -- which featured dentistry literally as torture -- created the most memorable image of a dentist in the movies. Perhaps because of progress in caries prevention and anesthesia, pain is the not the major theme in either "Ghost Town" or "Glenn Martin, DDS." Rather, a different stereotype figures into "Ghost Town" -- the notion that dentists themselves are depressed about their work, said Casey Stone, a Paramount publicist. "He is definitely a snarly character," she said. "There is the statistic that dentists are an unhappy profession." The trailer from "Ghost Town," which opens this weekend.

The Ricky Gervais character, much like Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, is a chronically crabby man who is brought to a sunnier outlook by the visitation of ghosts. Stone is quick to point out that another dentist in the film, who shares an office with Gervais' character, is naturally a cheerful man. (The choice of Gervais -- who won fame as the star in the original British version of "The Office" TV show, carries with it a small irony: news accounts have sometimes focused on his crooked teeth.) The inspiration for the Nickleodeon dentist Glenn Martin comes from a very different view of dentists, said Steven Cohen of Tornante, the production company behind the new show. "We wanted to portray an upper middle class working man and wanted to pick a profession that was very identifiable, very visual, and also a bit demanding," he wrote in an e-mail to DrBicuspid.com. "Glenn Martin, DDS," image courtesy of Tornante. Since the show was pitched to kids, the creators thought it would be funny to portray Dr. Martin traveling in a mobile dental clinic, which he calls the Molar Express.

"As far as a feeling a dentist evokes to our target audience, we feel that a dentist has a certain warmth compared to other professions," Cohen explained. "Kids remember going to the dentist, getting the toys at the end, and Glenn is that kind of dentist, very warm, friendly." The opening scene of the first episode shows Dr. Martin working with a child who won't open his mouth. "There is a certain personal touch a dentist must give each and every patient, so that also made it an attractive and rich profession for a show like this," Cohen wrote. Not all episodes will depict Dr. Martin at work, however. "The show is really about this family that decides to live on the road and see America, it's not specifically about being a dentist, although that will certainly come into play in episodes," he wrote. So do dentists at last have their answer to the legion of fictional medical doctors -- from Marcus Welby to Dr. McDreamy -- who have flaunted their stethoscopes on large screen and small? Stay tuned. Copyright © 2008 DrBicuspid.com To read this and get access to all of the exclusive content on DrBicuspid.com create a free account or sign-in now.

Member Sign In: GHOST TOWN A film review by Craig J. Koban GHOST TOWN ï¿½ 2008, PG-13, 102 mins. Bertram Pincus: Ricky Gervais / Frank Herlihy: Greg Kinnear / Gwen: Tea Leoni / Marjorie: Dana Ivey / Richard: Billy Campbell Directed by David Koepp / Written by Koepp and John Kamps. Ricky Gervais himself perhaps best epitomized why I think that the new supernatural romantic dramedy, GHOST TOWN, is such a wonderfully refreshing film. While on a recent talk show, he hilariously reflected on his first big Hollywood staring role in the film: ï¿½Just what America wants: a fat, British, middle-aged comedian trying to be a semi-romantic lead.ï¿½ Thatï¿½s precisely why I think that GHOST TOWN fires so successfully on so many unconventional cylinders. Gervais is short, plump, melon faced, has dour eyes and a side-parted receding hairline.

He is not Matthew McConaughey shamelessly cavorting around shirtless for 90-plus minutes for every female audience memberï¿½s ogling pleasure. Gervais is anything but leading man material, let alone romantic leading man material, and his matter-of-fact manner of sardonically questioning the validity of his role In GHOST TOWN has more than a grain of truth. In an age of banal, dime-a-dozen romantic comedies that go along every single preordained and systematic formula ï¿½ from insipidly predictable storylines to their super model gorgeous main stars ï¿½ GHOST TOWN is a real gem for its inspired choices that go against the grain. Yes, it too goes through many of the motions of other similar genre films, but this one works harder by giving us a male lead that has to earn our affection and rooting interest in him. Itï¿½s the filmï¿½s calculating manner of doing things just a bit off kilter that allows it to shine so brightly. Andï¿½of courseï¿½most of the credit has to go to Gervais, who just may be the funniest manï¿½wellï¿½alive.

You may remember him from very bit parts in films like the forgettable NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM and STARDUST ...or the name may slip your mind altogether. One thing is for sure: you need to put this British actor on your film radar, and GHOST TOWN is a fine and grand introduction for the Gervais-uninitiated to his comedic genius. I do not engage in hyperbolic ranting here, folks; I really do think heï¿½s about as funny as any actor Iï¿½ve seen. Anyone doubting this bold assertion has never seen the original BBC version of THE OFFICE, which is the most uproarious TV show Iï¿½ve even sat through that made me laugh in ways I never thought possible. Gervais also recently headlined BBCï¿½s EXTRAS, a comedy that dealt with the highly unglamorous world of movie extras. One thing is for sure from watching these two shows: Gervais is an unparalleled master of naturalistic, caustic comedy and playing characters that teeter along near pain-inducing social awkwardness and self-humiliation.

The thing I love about Gervaisï¿½ screen presence is that he does not engage in mournful camera mugging or self-indulgent histrionics to get a laugh, nor does he feel the need to play likeable blokes to garner audience sympathy. Instead, he is scarily convincing and easy-going playing arrogant recluses that say things and act in manners that inevitably occur at the worst possible moments, usually to the shock and awe of innocent victims around him. Gervais' brilliance at playing borderline indignant ï¿½ but amazingly likeable and amusing ï¿½ jerks makes his comedy seem all the more naturalistic. His schtick never feels forced, over done, or ill timed - his cadence, flow, and tone is assuredly letter perfect every time. Thankfully, GHOST TOWN is the first major Hollywood film that rightfully harnesses all of Gervaisï¿½ offbeat skills. In the film he plays Bertram Pincus, a sour puss of a middle-aged loner if there ever was one.

He is a dentist by trade, a profession that almost makes it impossible to not have good people skills, but Bertram is such a vindictive and foul spirited snob that he astoundingly is able to find a way to have a successful practice by not communicating in meaningful ways to his patients (perhaps the novocain helps too). Heï¿½s eerily unsociable, impolite, rude, and a woefully selfish bastard. Heï¿½s the kind of a-hole that would gladly take a handicapped spot at a local grocery store if it meant getting him in and out of the store as fast as possible. Bertram is also a sad and melancholic figure: heï¿½s friendless, unmarried, and fastidious in his ridiculous unwillingness to let other people into his life. In terms of being a social butterfly, heï¿½s barely hit the larva stage. Ohï¿½even more ghastly is the fact that Bertram is also...horribly constipated.

After one night of taking a horrendous looking oral laxative fails to go well, he checks himself into a hospital under the care of his doctor (played in a side-splitting cameo by Kristen Wiig, who once again triumphantly demonstrating here, as she did in KNOCKED UP , that she is the current comedic kingpin of brief cameos) and prepares himself to undergo a colonoscopy. There is one big problem that befalls Bertram's surgery: At the ill advice of his doctor, he decides to go under for the surgery, but the drugs have a rare and near fatal side effect of shutting his heart down for seven minutes. Technically, he was dead to the world. Not knowing this vital information, Bertram leaves the hospital and then discovers something really peculiar: he is able to see ghosts just as easily as any other living person. Since he ï¿½sees dead people", Bertram rushes back to the doctor for some explanations, which leads to one of GHOST TOWNï¿½s most insidiously funny exchanges.

ï¿½Did anything unusual happen during my operation?ï¿½ he asks Wiigï¿½s semi-nervous and deeply defensive surgeon, to which she replies, ï¿½Youï¿½uhï¿½died for seven minutesï¿½but itï¿½s okayï¿½we brought you right back. People die all the time.ï¿½ An exasperated Bertram hilariously retorts, ï¿½Yeah, but itï¿½s usually just onceï¿½at the end!ï¿½ Realizing that heï¿½s getting nowhere with the hospital, Bertram leaves and tries to deal with his newfound paranormal gifts. He is befriended, of sorts, by a recently deceased New Yorker named Frank Herlihy (played by the typically rock steady Greg Kinnear, always a consummate actor at bridging the gap between drama and comedy), who ï¿½ before a bus killed him ï¿½ was actually cheating on his wife with his yoga instructor. The problem is that Frank deeply regrets hurting his ex, Gwen (Tea Leoni, equally gifted at bridging sentimentality and laughs, and truly wonderful here) and wants to make amends.

Plus, he really despises her new beau (Billy Campbell), despite the fact that he seems pretty decent. Frankï¿½s relationship with Bertram is rocky at first, especially considering that the dentist is the kind of man that hates all forms - and I mean all forms - of human contact, alive or dead. Frankï¿½s other deceased friends, realizing that Bertram is a conduit between their world and the living, compulsively pester Bertram to assist them with dealing with aspects of their past lives they regretfully left unchecked. This makes Bertram rather annoyed, but the deal-making personality in Frank makes him an offer: If Bertram is able to successfully break up Gwen with her new boyfriend, then he and his spectral buddies will leave Bertram alone...for good. There are some obvious problems with this plan, not to mention fairly predictable occurrences to seeing it through to successful fruition. Bertram is an unattractive louse that even the easiest of woman would have a hard time falling for, let alone the sharp, educated, and beautiful Gwen.

However, slowly but surely, Bertram is able to transform himself from a miserable, modern day Manhattan Scrooge to a fairly worthy suitor to Gwen and ï¿½ yes ï¿½ the two do begin to fall for one another. All of this grows complicated for all involved, seeing as Frank becomes despondently jealous, Gwen deals with the issues of her past feelings for Frank and her indifference towards her new fiancï¿½ and Bertram, and Bertram begins to discover the warmth and allure of human companionship. GHOST TOWN not only benefits from the unusual casting of its male lead, but also from its atypical choice of director and writer. David Koepp, much better known for his action packed summer blockbusters (he famously wrote films like JURASSIC PARK I and II, SPIDER-MAN, WAR OF THE WORLDS , and this yearï¿½s INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL , not to mention directing darker films like SECRET WINDOW and STIR OF ECHOES).

He very surprising finds a comfortable grove with the proceedings and has a real knack for neither playing up the filmï¿½s comedy too broadly, nor amping up the filmï¿½s sentimentality and drama to annoyingly saccharine levels. He naturally allows GHOST TOWN to amuse audience members while also lightly tugging on their heartstrings without strangling them with weepy overkill. Whereas most romantic dramedies feel like there are force-feeding us, GHOST TOWN alternatively finds a truly nice balance among its emotional tones. The film also has a tender poignancy to it, especially when dealing with the budding relationship between Leoni and Gervais (who have a delightful chemistry that simmers as the film progresses), but also in the subplots involving the other ghosts that need Bertram to help them correct past wrongs in their normal lives that were never put right. The film finds a genuine heartbeat in these moments: Just look at one crucial moment where Kinnear ï¿½ via Bertram ï¿½ is able to communicate his emotional pains to Gwen and a later scene where Bertram aids his other fellow ghosts achieve some semblance of closure to their pre-death existences.

Aside from its obvious flavoring as a romantic comedy, GHOST TOWN becomes a rare feel-good Capra-esque parable about better oneself by bettering others that actually makes audience members feel good instead of incredulously rolling their eyes at the plot developments. And then there is Gerviasï¿½the great Gervaisï¿½who is the solid anchor that has a trickier job than it appears: He has to be the filmï¿½s comedic epicenter while also playing a character that initially is reprehensible and then plausibly makes a turn for the better. Our involvement in his character is benefited by the way the actor so perfectly is able to portray an ill at ease, tongue-tied, mordant, and stammering level of affectionate joviality. Gervaisï¿½ performance I think will be under-praised for how good he is in smaller, more reflective moments: Consider one scene where he sees ï¿½ perhaps for the first time ï¿½ the pleasure of simply staring at Gwenï¿½s beauty and a later scene where he thinks his mission to woe her over has failed. Like the best screen comedians, he blends hearty laughs with pathos exceedingly well.

Alas, itï¿½s the hearty laughs that are Gervaisï¿½ true specialty, and he occupies too many laugh-out-loud moments here to mention. One scene is a masterpiece of overlapping double talk, where Gervais desperately tries to get answers about his new ï¿½visionsï¿½ out of Wiigï¿½s doctor, during which she cuts him off mid-sentence with every query (their respective timing is immaculateï¿½and riotous). Yet, even miniscule, throw-away moments are inspired too, as is the case where a nurse ï¿½ just when Gervais checks himself out of the hospital ï¿½ politely tells him to ï¿½Come back real soon.ï¿½ Gervaisï¿½ response is perfectly ironic and scathing, but not over sold: ï¿½What a terrible thing to say in a hospital!ï¿½ he mutters back.

Gervaisï¿½ shrewd abilities to bring huge laughs out of moments of pure public discomfort permeate every pore of GHOST TOWN, and his presence in the film as an unconventional leading man makes the largely conventional nature of the screenplay breathe with so much more refreshing authenticity. If you doubt me, just imagine GHOST TOWN with a more obvious, traditional, square jawed, GQ cover model-esque leading man and youï¿½ll understand what Iï¿½m getting at here. McConaughey's hairless and ripped pecs have nothing over Gervais' acid-tongued, clumsy appeal. GHOST TOWN (a film review by Mark R. Leeper) GHOST TOWN (a film review by Mark R. Leeper) CAPSULE: A dentist who died for seven minutes on the operating table finds that he now can see dead people. Half of Manhattan has favors they want of him and making matters worse, it is the dead half. Ricky Gervais, popular star of BBC TV's "The Office", plays the man who doesn't like living people and now has also to deal with the dead.

He is asked by a dead husband to break up his wife's relationship with a new fiance. The first half has some very good writing, but the film loses its center and wanders in its second half. Rating: +2 (-4 to +4) or 7/10 GHOST TOWN is a supernatural comedy-drama for which the comedy elements, mostly connected with the premise, are pointed and work. The dramatic elements are a little unfocussed. This makes for a film with a great first act, and good but faulty second act and a weak conclusion. The film was co-written and directed by David Koepp. Koepp has been connected with some major fantasy films, usually as a writer. Koepp's writing can be found in JURASSIC PARK, THE SHADOW, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, STIR OF ECHOES, SPIDER-MAN, WAR OF THE WORLDS (Spielberg version), ZATHURA, and INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. Those are fairly major fantasy films. Here he tells a romantic story seemingly based on the premises of GHOST and especially THE SIXTH SENSE.

Like Cole Sear of THE SIXTH SENSE, Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) sees dead people. It is the after-effect of dying on an operating table for nearly seven minutes before being revived. Bertram sees the dead like Sear does, but there are not just a few unquiet spirits like we saw in THE SIXTH SENSE. This is Manhattan and there are throngs of the dead who have been waiting around for some living person to get the power to hear them. Each has a mission before he or she moves onto the next existence. Bertram just has to do one or two little things for each of them. Bertram could spend the rest of his life performing important services for the unquiet dead. Complicating matters is the fact that Bertram is just not someone who does a lot of favors. In fact, Bertram is a self-obsessed jerk who would just rather not be around people. He chose being a dentist as a profession because sticking cotton or metal into a patient's mouth generally ends conversations. He has a hard enough time putting up with the living people in his life, and he is less than happy about being the key man for so many dead people.

They hound him and they follow him around. The novelty of this situation somewhat compensates for the overuse of the old gag of someone trying to cover up the fact that he is talking to someone that nobody else sees. That one got old along with the "Topper" films. Chief among Bertram's haunters is Frank Harley (Greg Kinnear). On the day that Frank's wife Gwen (Tea Leoni) discovered Frank was leading a double life, both lives came to an end. Frank wants to make sure that the Gwen does not marry a certain creep, but being dead his options are limited. He stalks and hounds Bertram hoping to use him to save his wife. Not too surprisingly Bertram finds he has an interest in her himself. In the second half the film loses impetus and direction. We have three main characters, one living, one dead, one lost a little in between. But none of these characters seems to know what he or she wants. Instead, the tension comes from not knowing if Gwen will find out that Bertram is seeing her dead ex-husband (literally seeing him).

Fans of Ricky Gervais--and some people who do not care for him-- know him as the boorish office manager in the BBC comedy series "The Office." Koepp gets a somewhat more restrained performance from him for most of GHOST TOWN'S runtime. There are moments when his TV persona does seem to creep back on him. This is a film that takes the idea of THE SIXTH SENSE and makes a passable comedy out of it by examining what it would mean to an average man to have the power. As long as we are getting clever ideas about what it would mean to see the dead, the GHOST TOWN is a lot of fun. When it tries to become more serious the film falters and loses its center. Still I rate it a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale or 7/10. Ghost Town (2008) Ghost Town (2008) DVD Blu-ray When you think of a romantic comedy the topic of death most likely isn�t the first thing that comes up. Still, there have been examples of this strange genre that has been successful in the past.

Typically there is a lively ghost that has some unfinished business in the mortal world and more often than not it has to do with a former object of love. It is tricky to balance death with romance and comedy but when it is done right the results can be very entertaining. Fortunately for audiences the film �Ghost Town� has just the right touch to make this work. This film represents a cinematic hat trick of excellent writing, solid direction and performance that push the movie beyond the typical romantic comedy. It is a mixture of two distinct variations of comedy; American and British. It has the wild abandon common here in the States counterbalanced by the drier British humor. Romantic comedies frequently are light and fluffy with an entertainment value based mostly on being predictable and up beat. This one turns the formula on its end giving a little darker view of life, death and love. It may sound strange and indeed it is but overall the approach works. The fashion in which this film is crafted allows for a deeper degree of character development than usually found in this sort of movie. True to the basic constructs of the genre we all know that a happy ending is just around the corner but the journey there is what will pull you in and hold you.

The cast and crew slip off the usual pathway and blaze a trail to a different variation of this kind of film. While rated PG-13 this film is geared more towards a more mature audience. The rating comes from a lack of violence and sex but the themes are something that the kids may not fully comprehend. In fact there is not even so much as a lot of kissing going on, exceedingly rare for a romance. The film has been released to the home market through the Dreamworks branch of Paramount Home Entertainment in both DVD and Blu-ray. This is something that makes for a perfect movie night at home and is certain to delight and entertain. The well honed script was executed by John Kamps and David Koepp. Kamps has previously focused on stories for younger viewers with screenplays for �The Borrowers�, �Zathura: A Space Adventure� and �Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. All of these films were action oriented kids flicks. Koepp worked with Kamps on �Zathrura� and has written scripts for some of the best and most popular movies around.

He has provided screenplays for the likes of �Spider-Man�, �Mission: Impossible�, �Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull� and �Jurassic Park� to name just a few. He also has experience in using the dead as central characters both in a serious vein as in �Stir of Echoes� and for comedy with �Death Becomes Her�. He is one of the best screenwriters around and this script shows that he and Mr. Kamps have a huge career still ahead of them. There is a wit to the screenplay that you don�t see too often. Most romantic comedies are written in such a way that you can predict most of the dialogue as it is uttered. Here the lines are sharp and provide an edge that the talented cast uses to its best advantage. They must have had a lot of influence on the casting director since the roles were filled by actors perfectly suited to this script. Let�s face facts; dead people have not been this romantic since �Ghost�. The story provides laugh out loud moments with a lot of times where you sill just sit there grinning at the antics at hand. Koepp is better known as a high sought after writer but he also has experience as a director.

Most of his previous experience has admittedly been darker in nature such as the previously mentioned �Stir of Echoes�. This film is proof that the man has the talent and versatility to handle the difficult genre of comedy. Sure, almost anyone can make a crass and juvenile comic flick but it takes a man serious about his art to craft something as well put together as this. Here Koepp has an easy going style. The man has been around the industry long enough to know he has a dream cast. He guides them to give some fantastic performances. This is the hallmark of an excellent director, to know when to push his vision of the project and went to let the cast loose. Koepp has this down. He also balances the main story with some poignant little vignettes that are well placed and help to pace the film. They don�t break the mood rather they add to the human story at the heart of this movie. Koepp gets you to care about these people even though the main character is one of the most unlikable people ever to walk the face of the earth. Bertram Pincus, (Ricky Gervais) is a highly successful dentist in an upscale part of Manhattan. For him the profession is perfect.

He has nothing but distain for his fellow man so having a job where he shoves cotton balls in the mouths of his patients keeping personal interaction to a minimum is fantastic. His life changes when he goes to his doctor for what should have been a routine colonoscopy. Due to a little mishap Bertram was clinically dead for about seven minutes. The hospital administrator tries to dismiss the �death� for obvious legal reason but Bertram is outraged. Actually, it doesn�t take a lot to bring him to this state. One unusual and unwanted side effect of his near death experience is Bertram can now see and communicate with the dead. Ghosts begin to pester him; each with a message vitally important to them for the living. One of the more persistent ghosts is Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear) who has an unusual request for Bertram. Even though Frank was not exactly the ideal husband he is very upset that his widow, Gwen (T�a Leoni) is now engaged. Her fianc� Richard (Billy Campbell), is a successful human rights lawyer but Frank is convinced that he is after Gwen�s money. Bertram has come across Gwen before and was his usual rude self.

One day he agrees to help her identify a mummy by examining his teeth to determine the cause of death. As a thank you she invites Bertram to have dinner with her and Frank. Gwen is such an open and delightful woman that evens the old curmudgeon Bertram beings to fall for her. This sets up a pair of romantic triangles including the living and dead with Bertram caught in the middle. Gervais is fantastic as the dislikeable Bertram. He has a command of comedy that has made him an A list start in England and is doing much the same on this side of the ocean. The film is simply put a delight. It has been a long time since I have seen a romantic comedy that was this well made. The mastering is impeccable with a video and audio that is above most of the pack. It also has some extras that are completely enjoyable. There is a commentary track with Koebb and Gervais that is funny and informative. There are also featurettes on the making of the film and the ghostly effects. This is one that should not be missed.

Posted 12/11/08 'Ghost Town' is a Little Gem | PopMatters 'Ghost Town' is a Little Gem Tweet Hollywood used to excel at what could best be described as the “little” movie. You know the type - small in scope, limited in appeal, and never overreaching beyond its certain purpose. Prior to the high concept ‘80s, lots of films were ‘little’. But ever since stars became commodities to market like cinematic stock, Tinsel Town has taken the “bigger is boffo” attitude with almost everything. A drama must deal with issues of interpersonal earth-shattering design. A comedy must be over the top and hilariously hyperactive. All of this works against Ricky Gervais and his latest effort, Ghost Town. Anyone coming to this movie thinking the Office/Extras star is out to create a wacky spook show is in for quite a disappointment. Instead, this is a little film that easily achieves its entertainment aims. Dentist Bertram Pincus hates people. It’s one of the main reasons he enjoys his chosen profession. A major misanthrope, he spends his days delivering pain, his nights avoiding everyone around him.

When a routine medical procedure goes awry, Dr. Pincus discovers an unusual side effect - he can see dead people. Actually, they are the ghosts roaming around Manhattan, looking for someone living to help them complete their Earthly business. One such apparition is Frank Herlihy. A horrible womanizer when he was alive, he now wants Dr. Pincus to help him break up his widow’s impending marriage. If our hero doesn’t agree, Frank will allows the rest of New York’s spirit population to persistently hound him - and with such a large metropolis, there’s a lot of spooks to go around. Of course, once he gets to know Gwen, Dr. Pincus finds himself falling in love. This only complicates things for both the living, and the recently deceased. Ghost Town Review [19.Sep.2008] Skillful and subtle, with enough hilarity to match its equally ample heart, Ghost Town is the Fall’s sunniest surprise. Going in, we expect the standard star driven vamp, Gervais given free reign to work his wise-ass magic on us unsuspecting Yanks.

Even with a script from accomplished scribes David Koepp (who also directs) and John Kamps, we keep waiting for the anarchic adlibbing to step in and swamp everything. Yet aside from a couple of clever confrontations, our lead is in likeable loser mode. He’s not meant to overpower the plot. Instead, Dr. Pincus is a pawn in a much bigger cosmic comedy. Koepp and Kamps keep the humor low key and realistic. We don’t get goofy ghost-busting gags or sequences of sci-fi special effects. Instead, this movie makes its point via characterization and emotion, two things we don’t expect from such a seemingly high concept creation. Again, Gervais is quite remarkable here, his face gestures reminding one of an uncanny combination of both Laurel and Hardy. Even within a completely contemporary setting, the pear-shaped Brit reminds one of film legends past. It’s not only his demeanor, which comes across as cultured if crazy. No, everything about Pincus, from his sour world view to a reluctance to embrace his supernatural situation screams Hollywood’s Golden Age. The only way we know we’re visiting 2008 comes whenever Greg Kinnear’s pesky specter comes along.

With his used car salesman patter and constant Blackberry fidgeting, he instantly brings Ghost Town up to date. As a character, his cruel adulterer is hard to embrace. But since he channels his needs through Gervais, we end up empathizing with his paranormal position. Indeed, a lot of Ghost Town is centered on helping the dead “settle” their spirits. Koepp sets up the potentially maudlin moments of closure in such a way that they feel organic, not forced. In fact, there are a few handkerchief sequences spread out across the movie’s many narrative threads. Co-star Tea Leoni makes for an easy to accept love interest, her openness matching Gervais’ closed off creep perfectly. There is a great chemistry between the two, an easiness and clear compatibility that answers any romantic questions the audience may have. This is not a movie centering on passions or lust. Instead, Ghost Town wants to travel in tenderness and smaller triumphs. It manages this material with ease. Certainly, some will see Koepp’s spiritual sense as a little pat.

This is the kind of movie that explains human/spirit interactions with an unexpected sneeze, and the flaring of available light the post-modern equivalent of an angel earning its wings. There is no discussion of God or the afterlife, no link up to religion, faith, or a sense of the sacred. The phantoms here are like leftovers from Poltergeist, desperate to reconnect with their loved ones (or in one hilarious case, their bitter rival) before falling into the realm beyond…whatever that is. Indeed, the references to other cinematic spook shows, from the Murray/Akyroyd classic to calmer entertainments like Ghost, keep the film from floating away on its own New Age artifice. Of course, it helps to have Gervais at the center. He could defuse the most potent source of saintly mumbo jumbo with a simple comic stare. In fact, for those not familiar with his intercontinental cult status, Ghost Town will be a revelation. As a supporting player in such films as For Your Consideration and Night at the Museum, he never got a real chance to shine. Instead, he appeared pigeonholed in a predetermined cameo conceit. But here, Gervais elevates Dr.

Pincus into one of the better leads for a revisionist RomCom. It’s rare to see the schlub succeed, to watch the man with the thicker waistline and jowly demeanor win over the women with the sheer force of his prickly (if hilarious) personality. Of course, established star power can overcome any physical (or psychological) limitations, but Ghost Town is one of the rare films that earns its humble happy ending. All of this adds up to a film that manages to make its way deep into your heart without feeling overly manipulative or mannered. Indeed unlike another similarly styled movie from 1993 (the trite Robert Downey Jr. effort Heart and Souls), Ghost Town controls all its facets - fantastical and otherwise - to deliver a decent ‘little’ entertainment. Remember, if you’re looking for outsized scope or a dimensional dissection of the supernatural, you’ll need to focus on other films. But if you want to see a great comedian giving a true performance within a movie that works both comically and emotionally, this film will definitely satisfy. It’s nice to see that Hollywood can turn out the well meaning minor gem when it wants to.

Here’s hoping Ghost Town‘s shine inspires others to drop the pretense and aim a little lower. As this movie proves, such an undersized focus can produce a refreshing big screen experience. Ghost Town Rating: Since deciding to employ his underdeveloped muse muscles over five years ago, Bill has been a significant staff member and writer for three of the Web's most influential websites: DVD Talk, DVD Verdict and, of course, PopMatters. He also has expanded his own web presence with Bill Gibron.com a place where he further explores creative options. It is here where you can learn of his love of Swindon's own XTC, skim a few chapters of his terrifying tome in the making, The Big Book of Evil, and hear samples from the cassette albums he created in his college music studio, The Scream Room. Share via

Question: What is the profession of Ricky Gervais character, Bertram Pinkus, in the 2008 film, "Ghost Town"?
Answer: DENTIST